Principales representantes del modelo

In this study the head teacher and teachers were asked if they would employ the graduate with intellectual disability after their training all (100%) of the teachers agreed that they can employ graduates with intellectual disability. Findings show that Nakuru Hills special has employed graduates with intellectual disability from the school who performed as expected while the Pangani special reported that it was still young at the time of study to have employed any of its graduates.

The next question to the head teachers was where most of the learners go after leaving school. Findings of this study show that most of the learners are back to their homes and dependent on parents if they are not engaged by the schools where they were learning. Other service providers and employers are not ready to engage the intellectually challenged graduates since they do not understand and appreciate them. The findings of this study also show that the saturated job market requires highly skilled persons. According to Musima (2014), the private companies and public organizations were less willing to employ or work with trainees with intellectual disabilities.

The parents were asked if they would allow their children with intellectual disability to be employed by other people to work for them in an area they have been trained. The results are indicated in Table 4.14.

50 Table 4.14 Employed by others

Frequency Percent

No 5 26

Yes 12 63

Not sure 2 11

Total 19 100

Majority of the parents were ready to have their children employed by other people in an area they have trained in, about a quarter would not allow while few were not sure for fear of exploitation and being overworked.

The head teachers described the parental attitude towards their children with intellectual disability as depending on the severity of the disability and ability of the child. Parents of the learners with mild and moderate intellectual disability have positive attitude and look forward to have their children acquiring a skills while parents of the learners with severe intellectual disability have a negative attitude and would like their children remain in school forever since they do not have ways of sustaining them at home.

Respondents were asked to give their suggestions on what they think should be done to make the graduates of the special schools lead an independent and more dignified life. The suggestions given included joint effort by all stake

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holders i.e. the parents, community and schools, awareness campaigns and sensitization forums for all stakeholders, provision of adequate teaching and learning resources for the learners with intellectual disability, implementation of the disability act affirmative action’s, and setting up sheltered workshops in every county for the graduates of special schools for learners with intellectual disability.

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Introduction

This chapter provides a summary of the study findings, conclusions and recommendations. Research findings were summarised according to the objectives of the study.

The study was aimed at investigating what hinders the learners with intellectual disability from transiting to work after their education in special schools for the learners with intellectual disability. Further, the researcher sought to find out what hinders the learners with intellectual disability from being engaged by the adult service providers to work for them in areas they have been trained on.

5.2 Summary

The researcher sought to establish transition plans in the curriculum for the learners with intellectual disability. The findings revealed that the curriculum had transition plans that have been in use for about five years. The curriculum had teaching and learning activities for preparing the learners for transition and life after school that had been in use for less than five years. Findings also show that the teachers felt that the curriculum partially addressed the individual learner’s needs.

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The researcher then sought to establish preparedness of the learners with intellectual disability for transition. The findings revealed that there was gradual imparting of skills for the learners that determined the graduation from one level or grade to the next. Findings also show that with well organized training and adequate resources, the learners with intellectual disability could learn skills that were of economical help to them.

The researcher also sought to establish what determines graduation readiness for the learners with intellectual disability. Findings revealed that graduation comes when need be and currently dictated by the over aging learners and to small extent acquisition of skills. Little emphasis was put on graduation preparedness in the two schools.

Finally, the researcher sought to establish the engagement of the learners with intellectual disability by the adult service providers and systems after their training. The findings revealed that only the schools and teachers of the learners with intellectual disability were willing to employ them since they understand them. Other service providers were not willing to engage the graduates with intellectual disability which made them remain home and dependent on their parents after leaving schools.

In the Kenyan National SNE policy framework, 2009, the 5th _guiding principles in coming up with the policy document was the provision of barrier free transition of learners with SNs and disabilities through the various educational levels in accordance with their abilities. The SNE

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policy framework admits there were gaps in the provision of SNE services. The gaps identified during this study include inadequate teaching and learning resources; inadequate activities and lack of a multidisciplinary transition team preparing the learners with intellectual disability for transition from school. Lack of information concerning the graduates with intellectual disability by employers make their engagement in employment a challenge.